The Biggest Hit at Valentino Resort and Spa

As I mentioned in my previous post, Valentino Resort and Day Spa is a good place for people who want to unwind, recharge and escape the busy city life. Although there are a few misses with the accommodation and our encounter with one of the receptionists, the resort's restaurant was able to compensate it with their delicious and affordable food and the staff's customer service. We were always greeted by the same waiter each time we go to the restaurant. Dear Valentino, you have to take care of this particular waiter (see last photo) because he is your greatest asset! The best si Kuya! ^_^

The first thing we did after freshening up was to have our lunch. Since we're a big group, we decided to split our orders into two. Boyet and I stayed with Jeff and Joie mainly because... uhhhmmm... we were seated together. But seriously, these two have the same passion for food as us two.

When there's bulalo in the menu, then bulalo will be served on the table. It was raining hard that day so it was a good way to warm our tummies. We immediately devoured on the hot clear soup. We asked Kuya if there would be an additional charge if we request for more soup. He said he'll check it first with the chefs. A couple of minutes after, he came back trying to regain his balance while holding a big bowl of soup - the same size as the bowl of the bulalo. The soup serving is actually bigger than the actual bulalo. Isang arenola!

Bulalo PHP365

Their sisig is quite different from the usual because the meat is leaner. I was expecting it to lack flavor because the pork fats are really the reason behind the sisig's to-die flavor. But I was amazed that Valentino's sisig didn't fall behind.

Sizzling Pork Sisig PHP200

In our attempt to be health-conscious and to balance our cholesterol intake, we decided to get a serving of tortang talong.

More than its taste, I'm more amazed how they managed to come up with a perfectly-shaped tortang talong! I know how to cook. My husband and even my super critical and most of the time pintasera mother both agree that I can come up with delicious dishes. But ask me to fry an egg or cook torta and it will come out all distorted.

Tortang Talong PHP90

Spending the whole afternoon swimming and catching up left us starving. We were set to go to the resort's restaurant for dinner when Marwin suggested to go out and find a place to eat. Marwin joins our out of town trips only to sleep as soon as we arrive at our destination and then tells everybody "Ang aga nyo naman matulog! 2AM pa lang no!" So when he asked us to go out that night, we were already anticipating his request. And I figured out, pagurin na namin si Marwin habang maaga pa, para makatulog ng maaga. Hehe!

The driver we hired asked someone from the resort where the nearest restaurant is. We travelled along the very dark roads of Batangas for almost twenty minutes without a single sign that we're anywhere near a place with restaurants. It's so dark that even Marwin who initiated the takutan session got scared. Since our only option outside was the nearest eatery which only serves dinuguang kambing and kalderetang kambing, we rushed back to the resort to catch their 9PM closing time. We were greeted by Kuya who was still perked up even if he was probably working the whole day.

I started feeling like a flu would knock me down so I decided to have some soup. Looking at the menu as it says that a serving of Chicken Gambo costs PHP60, I asked the waiter to give us two. But the waiter told us that the soup is already good for two people. So when the soup arrived, everybody's jaw dropped on the floor! What kind of TWO PEOPLE can consume that soup?! Galit ba kayo sa sabawwww? I had three servings of the soup while the rest had two. The soup is really flavorful and it's probably the best-tasting sixty-peso soup ever! I was so tempted to ask if they could refill the soup but I was scared that they might give in to my request. Nyaha!

Chicken Gambo PHP60

I was already full from the hearty soup but I saved some room for the other two dishes. We tried their kare-kare and calamares. Jeff and Joie ate mostly vegetables because they weren't used to the parts of the pork that were included. If it was served at home, the kare-kare would be gone in an instant! Sadly, I didn't like the bagoong. It's not really bad but I just got so used to the bagoong that my sister-in-law cooks which I would bravely fight for the BEST BAGOONG AWARD. The best thing though is that the kare-kare of Valentino is so tasty that it can already shine on its own.

Kare-Kare PHP355

The calamares didn't quite stand out. But the vinegar that comes with it was superb! Weird, sa suka ako nasarapan?!

Calamares PHP220

While still in pajamas (at di pa ko nag toothbrush), Kuya welcomed us the following day with his very energetic "Good Morning, Sunshine" greet!

Our accommodation includes free breakfast. The breakfast comes with coffee, hot choco or juice. I opted to have a cup of hot coffee to sooth my itchy throat. Everybody who got coffee agreed that it's so good! I was initially hesitant because the coffee was served with creamer on the side minus the sugar. I don't like putting creamer on my coffee so I immediately took a sip of it as soon as it arrived on the table. There's a reason that it doesn't come with sugar because the sweetness of the coffee is simply perfect! If I end up being a CEO of my own company, the first qualification of all aspiring executive assistants is the ability to make coffee that tastes like this one! Or maybe, my company's first investment is a coffee maker that can do it. Harharhar!

Coffee PHP30

Marwin asked Kuya if they have free coffee refills. He said that he'd check it with the kitchen staff and then he arrived a couple of minutes after with another cup of coffee for Marwin. He asked if anybody else wanted a refill so I smiled and handed him my cup. Hey Starbucks, move over! :p

The breakfast choices are very limited so we didn’t have a hard time choosing. Hubby opted to try out their Filipino Breakfast. Diners have the option to choose from tocino, longganisa, daing na bangus or tapang taal which was hubby’s choice. The breakfast also comes with scrambled or sunny side-up egg, and steamed or garlic rice.

Filipino Breakfast (Tapang Taal)

I planned to swim again that morning because that would be the only exercise that I'd have since time immemorial. I have been feeling a little sluggish and being the not-so-sporty girl that I am, swimming is the only sport that I can do that will not trigger an asthma attack. With this, I decided to skip rice for breakfast and settled with Valentino’s American Breakfast. Pancakes come with a serving of fruits in season and choice between sausage and luncheon meat.

American Breakfast (Pancakes with Sausage)

I was expecting a large grilled sausage but ended up eating two pieces of canned Vienna sausages. The pancakes are delicious. No need for syrup because it just has the right amount of sweetness.

Us with Kuya

Valentino Resort and Spa is not only for those who yearn for relaxation. It is also a haven for foodies!